The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-17

The women leaned their heads over to the boys,
whispered in their ears cajoled them, and even
bestowed caresses upon them Other poys Ia
the car looked and grinned. They HAD nad
the same experience. and looked upon IL as one
of the amenities of the business What do they
the events of the day wisely conclude they
would have done better to bet differently npon
the race in which they backed the loser, and ask
the boys opinions upon horses ana jockeys.
Further than that they tell the boys what dear
fellows they are, and how much they Will 90
for them ii few more days of good luck shall
follow soon. All of which the boys take IN
with apparently eager interest. sure that. II the
vague or indefinite promises are not fuinieo,
large tips may DO expected on the morrow, DUR
ing the first race at least
Every body knows how horse talk invades the
dining-room and parior at home. Tho men
bring it in with them from the club and take IL
with them to the office But sometimes por-
tion of il stays behind and 10 eagerly rolled over
the tongues of the girls of the family. A young
bride was calling with friend. and At more
than one house found other friends who had
been to the races Entrancing were .he stories
they told of backing the winners. Now our
bride. Louisa, had never been to tho races In her
life, and that very night she asked her husband
if he would not take her.
Now who has been putting tha. into your
heaG2. asked John, brusquely.
.sWhy, don't know John DEAR" said Louisa.
shut everyone seems to 60, and / want TO.
want to back the winners"
The next scene is at Sheepshead Bay. Three
races have been run. and Louisa is intensely in
terested, not only in events. but in the scenes
around her. She has kept her eyes open. and
has noticed that ladies near her send money
away in the hands of boys in uniform, and that
the boys return with tickets which the ladies
put in their bags She has pleaded with her
husband to let her bet just once on race. but
he has forbidden it SO sternly that she dares not
speak of it again. But John has left his sea
after each race and not returned until the next
one is about to be rum Into her innocent little
head has crept the idea that John is betting on
the races, and she longs to know what his fort
une has been. By the time the third race has
been run. she has grown into fever OF excite
ment over project which she almost feared to
execute. She would take advantage of his alb
sence and bet for herself secretly. John looked
very dark at the conclusion OF tho third race,
innocent question that he had rather hoped
such a horse would win for he knew the jockey.
He is telling white le," thought bright Lou
lisa, land will get even with him." But 1t
seemed as if John would never get up and dis
appear as he had before. In fact, John was
wondering whether he would take a final plunge
with what he had left. He decided that he
would GO out to the betting pavilion at all
events and see how the odds were running. and
it was unnecessary to say that he plunged As
soon as he had gone, Louisa was thrown into
rage of excitement and doubt. The color
mounted hot to her cheeks, and her heart
thumped like typewriter. as with q supreme
impulse she beckonsd to boy 1t was the last
chance.
:.Here" she exclaimed. producing some bills
from her purse, .stake this and bet it for me-"
who on ?n asked the boy, stoidly receiving
the money and counting it. There were thirty
dollars.
.sOh DEAR whispered Louise. 81 don't know
anything about horses you know. don't you r
well" said the boy. scratching his head.
.'they are giving two to one on Ichi Ban and six
to one on Pocomoke, but thinks It's race
from short horse myself
but can short horse run as fast as q long
oner' asked Louisa in surprise.
Well" said the boy, that depends, but am
backing Ovid, and you can get fifteen to one on
him."
s.Well. we'll hurry along and do what you
think besr; only put it somewhere and don't let
anybody know"
: The hoy disappeared, and presently John came
back She looked at him fuftlvsiy 70 seeif~s
suspected anything, but Johns face was that OF
a sphinx. The boy returned, too and slipped q
piece of paper into Lousa's hand without at
tracting attention. She hastily thrust it into
her purse, feeling wofully guilty. The race was
rup and it would be hard to say which was the
more excited. When it over John said awk-
wardly: Louisa. you brought some money on
the track with you didn't your
''Yes. dear. she replied family, feeling that
the storm was coming
ito tell the truth have got rid OF mine. A
friend told me that race was coming a certain
way, he wanted to back it-and-and did
SO, and it's gone wrong you know; such things
will sometimes" and his courage returned as he
got the confession out of his mouth.
Louisa trembled. II haven't got the money,
John she faltered, 'T-I--spent it."
.'The devil you did" exclaimed John ungal-
lantly; ''hump I'd like to know how we are
going to get home, to say nothing of having any
thing to eat" and he relapsed into silence.
Louisa felt all the sorrow and anguish OF
pertinent. 1t took more nerve than it had to
bet her money to put her hand in her bag, pro-
duce her ticket and pass it to John, saying
family: ''Perhaps this is worth something.
They might give you back the money if you told
them about it"
John did not hear the last part of her sem
tence He was staring hard at the bit of
pasteboard. and all he could say, fwas: How
in thunder did you come to play that horse?"
Then before Louisa could say word he turned
upon her, held the card ibefore her face, and ex-
claimed: Have You the slightest idea how
much this is wortha"
mo-" she answered, repressing q sob; "I
didn't mean to, and won't do it again, won't
truly, and don't want to come to the races
again"
"Well, "he assented. ST don't think you'd bet
ter for this play was about the most absurd
that could be made, but it just happens that this
particular ticket is worth five hundred and forty
dollars?"
They had pretty good dinner.
CLARA BELLE.
Rising Light in Journalism.